Carpet and rug cleaning machine



` July- 27 1926.

c. E. s'rATLER CARPET AND RUG CLEANING MACHINE Filed NOV. 13. 1924 3 Sheets-Sheet l uen/Z101' azewezz E. siguen y 4M M @www C. E. STI'TLER` CARPET AND RUG CLEANING MACHINE Julyy 27 19m. 1,593,678

Filed Nov. 1s, 1924 s sheets-sheet 2 -muemam July 27, 1926. Q 1,593,678

c. E. STAJLERv CARPET AND RUC CLEANING MACHINE Filed Now 15, 1924 :s sheets-Sheet 5 blib-...1....

Patented July 21, 1926.

PATENT OFFICE.

CLEWELL E. STATLER, 0F JOHNST'QWN, PENNSYLVANIA. v

CARPET AND BUG CLEANING MACHINE.

Application led November 18, 1924; Serial No. 749,732.

My present invention relates to improve-l ments in machines for cleanlng rugs, carpets and the like, and aims to provide an economical and eiiicient apparatus by which such articles may be successively subjected to the processes of dust extracting, scouring and rinsing, centrifugal moisture extraction, and drying, without removal therefrom:

With these and other objects in vlew, which will hereinafter appear, the invention includes the novel features of construction and arrangement and combination of parts described in the following specification, lthe nature and scope of my said invention being defined and ascertained by the appende claims.

What I at present consider the preferred embodiment of my invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:-

Figure 1`is a front elevation of my 1mproved cleaning machine. t

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical sectlon.

Fig. 3 is a transverse section on line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a similar section with parts in shifted position.

Fig. 5 is an elevation of the drum 14 removed from the casin Fig. 6 is a similar View of the drum 15.

Fig. 7 is an enlarged view showing the door locking mechanism of drum 14.

Fig. 8 is a detail plan view of the drum operating gearing.

Fig. 9 is a detail view showing the gears in side elevation.

Figs. 10 and 11 are detail lviews of the door counter-balancing means taken at right an les to each other.

eferring by reference characters to these drawings in which the same reference charl acters indicate identical parts wherever used,

the numeral 1 designates a main casing, approximately cylindrical in shape, which may be supported in any suitable manner, preferably on a concrete support, as indicated at 2, having metal reinforcements 2* to which the heads or ends of the casing are attached, as indicated.

The casing is provided, at a convenient point, with a fan chamber 1a connected with the interior of the casino' and open to the atmos here, within which is located a. ruction an 3, which may be driven by any convenient means, such for example as belt pulley 3a.

The opening between the fan chamber and interior of the casing is provided with a door 1b which may be manipulated by a suitable handle 1.

Casing 1 vis provided with an auxiliar casing or external chamber lx within which are located steam heating pipes or coils 4 connected with any suitable source of steam supply (not shown) and this chamber is provided with an air admission opening on one side, preferably covered b a screen 5, an opening 1d bein provided leadin from the opposite side o said chamber to he interior of the casing 1, said'opening being provided with' a (preferably) sliding closure 6. 4 1

The said casing is provided at one side .with an opening for the admission of the carpet to be cleaned, which opening extends the entire len h of the casing and is rovided with a c osure member or door 1e inged at e by strap hin es, which door is made inv two sections, one eing the main section 1" above referred to, and the other a y'section 1t hinged to the free edge of sec'- tion 1" in such a manner as to be reversible. This is preferably accomplished 'by providing the section 1t at its ends and approximately centrally thereof with trunnlons f journaled in bearings f rojecting from or carried by the edges of oor section l", one of these trunnions being extended and provided with an operating handle f2.

The section or member 1t is rovided on one face thereof with a dovetailed channel member fs in which is removably lheld a brush 7, the brush being made in sections and held b slidable engagement of their dovetailed acks with said guide whereby thezly, may be easily replaced when Worn.

ith door section 1 closed and the handle f2 swung in one direction, the opening to the casing will be completely closed, with the brush outermost, while if the handle is swung in the other direction, the Abrush will be innermost in position to ycoact with the article being cleaned in the manner hereinafter described, the casing bein closed by cooperation of the door with the casing projection, as shown in Fig. 3.

For convenience in manipulating the door .by cleansing or rinsing liquid may be introduced, such pipes being designated and 11 in the drawing, respectively, and the inlet pipe being connected with any suitable source of supply (not shown), and the outlet being led to waste, and both pipes being provided with customary shut-oli valves.

The casing 1 is further provided with a steam inlet pi e 12 con11ected to any suitable source o steam supply (not' shown) being provided with a shut-off valve whereby live steam may be admitted at will.l

Within the casing or tank 1 are located two concentric spaced cylinders or drums 14 and 15- (Figs. 3 to 6 inclusive), both being made of perforated or reticulated material, as indicated. These drums are mounted so as to be capable of being inden pendently rotated or locked against lrotation as desired. This is preferably accomplished by providing the drum 14 with hollow trunnions 14 which may be secured to the drum heads in any suitable manner, as by having flanged plates 14x bolted or riveted to the heads of the drums, these trunnions projecting through openings in the tank ends and bein journaled in bearings 16 carried by te support 2. The drum 14 maybe rotated in any suitable manner, as for example by belt pulley 17,.

(see Figs. 1,2 and 8).

Drum 15 has trunnions or shaft extensions 15y which extend through the hollow trunnions 14a and are journaled in bearings 18 carried by the main support 2,*and means are provided for rotating the drum 15 4from any suitable source of power, such for example as belt 4pulley 19 fast onl acounter shaft 2O which carriesa small spur gear 21 meshin with a larger gear 22 fast on one of the s aft extensions or trunnions 15", (see Fi s. 8 and 9).l ny suitable means may be provided for locking either of the drums against movement and in predetermined position or definite relation to the casing, and such means may take the form of a slidable bolt or bar 23 having its opposite lends adapted to engage locking recesses in the pulley 17 and rgear 22 respectively.

Drum 14 is provided with a door 14h adapted to be swung open to admit the rug or carpet, which door is provided with looking means for holding it in closed position. My preferred form of locking means comprises multiple bolts capable of simultaneous operation from a single operating member, and to this end I provide a pair of elongated bolt members 24 slidably guided in guidewa s formed in the reinforcing bands or strips 14c (which correspond in position to reinforcing bands 14d on the drum) which vbars have projections a engaging spiral slots 25 in a cam plate 25 rotatably mounted on the door and provided Lwith an operating knob or handle 25". Rotation of the cam plate in one direction will draw the bolts inward towards each other or retract them from engagement with the keeper-recesses in the edge of the door opening (suchV openings being formed in thev inside edges of the end reinforcing bands or hoops 14e) while movement in a reverse direction will ellect thelocking action.

Cooperating with these are a plurality of edge or intermediate bolts 26 Awhich are slidably held in the reinforcing members 14c and are under pressure of sprin s 27 tending normally to retract them from interlocking position. Bolts 24 have inclined cam faces 24a bearing against the rear end faces of 'the bolts 26 and shoulders or stops 24b which coact with the sides of the bolts 26 to limit inward movement of bolts 24,

-such inward movement allowing the springs to retract the bolts 26 while reverse movement causes them to be projected outward by the cam faces 24 until their outer ends are projected beyond tle edge of the door and into engagement with the keeper recesses formed in the intermediate or strap reinforcing members 14".

The drum 14 is provided on its inner surface adjacent the door opening, with carpet engagin means which preferably take the form o spurs as indicate at 141, Figs. 3

, and 4. The inner drum 15 is provided with carpet edge retaining means which preferably takes the form of a clamp plate 15, hinged at one edge of an opening extending approximately the full length of the drum an being of such width relative to the width of the openin that when the door is opened inwardly an the edge of the carpet vor rug inserted, outward movement of the door will grip the car et, and theA pull of the carpet, on rotation o the drum, will cause it to be held with a clamping action which will increase with the amount of pull.

Rotation of the drum 15 will, therefore. cause the carpet 15b to be wrapped around the drum.

Casing 1 is provided adjacent the opening thereof, with a table or shelf 28 for supporting the carpet at the time of entry or Withdrawal.

AAssociated with the apparatus above described .is a nozzle 29 for supplying fluid under pressurev (such as compressed air). which nozzle may be connected by a flexible pipe or hose 29a to any suitable source of supply (not shown) andalso connected by the usual three-way valve, or the like, to a source of suction for producing a vacuum in the tank.

The operation of the apparatus above described may be briefly described as folsection 15 inward and in contact with the` surface of the rug or carpet, the door 14b being open to ermit this. When in this position, it will Ee noted that the brush-carrying door member 1r does not completely close the casing, leaving an elongated opening throughv which the nozzle may be introduced. the drum is rotated, the brush loosens andv opens up the pile and allows the blast of air to penetrate and blow through, or vacuum to draw from, the rug or carpet, the nozzle being moved back and forth over the surface of the rug. Simultaneously with this operation, the door 1b to the. fan chamber is open and the fan set in operation to carry away the dust and dirt removed, the suction produced by the fan aiding the removal. Thereafter the fan is stopped and the door 1b closed. and the tank or casing 1 is charged with a cleaning fluid, preferably to a height just suflicient to submerge 4the lower portion of the drum 15 and car et thereon in the fluid, and the rotation o the drum is continued to effect the washing or scouring action during which time the brush may be left in contact with the surface of the carpet to assist the scouringv action, the air or vacuum nozzle at this time being removed. After the scouring action has been continued for a suilicient length of time, the washing liquid may be removed through the discharge opening 114and fresh liquid introduced through pipe 10, and the operation continued for a rinsing action, whereafter the rinsing liquid is drawn oil'. Rotation ofthe drum 15 is now discontinued and it is locked against rotation by the shifting of the locking device 25 which releases the drum 14, which had heretofore been locked against rotation. Doors 14b and 1 are now swung open and as the openings are in line, the operator has easy access to the rug, the edge of which is removed from the clamping devices 15a, and hooked upon penetratin devices 14, whereupon the door 14b is close and locked, and doors le, 1t closed, the latwise opening, a reticulate ter being turned so as to have the brush project outwardly, as shown in Fig. 4. Drum 14 is now rotated at high speed, which causes the liquid to be removed by centrifugal action. The rotation of drum 14 is then discontinued, the doors opened and the edge of the rug again clamped to drum 15, whereupon the doors are closed and the rug subjected to the action of live steam introduced through the steam pipe inlets 12, and thereafter dried by opening the door 1b and starting the exhaust fan, which causes hot air to be drawn from the steam coil heating chamber 1x, `door 6 thereof being open, whereby the rug or carpet is thoroughly dried, aided by the brush 7 and air nozzle 29, if desirable. Thereafter the drums may be brought to rest with their door openings in alignment, and the edge of the rug or carpet detached and drawn out and rolled up on the table, drum 15 being unlocked so as to allow it to rotate idly as the carpet is drawn out.

Having thusdescribed my invention, what I claim is 1. Apparatus for cleaning fabric articles comprising a stationarycasing adapted to receive cleansing liquid and having means to withdraw the liquid therefrom, a pair of rotatable reticulated drums therein, one within the other, means for selectively rotating said drums, the inner at low speed and the outer at high speed, means for locking either of said drums against rotation when the other is rotated, means for attaching an edge of the fabric to either drum at will, said outer drum being adapted to remove liquid from the fabric article by centrifugal action.

2. In apparatus of the class described, a stationary easing, a pair of spaced reticu-l lated drums therein one within the other, means for selectively attaching an edge of a fabric to either drum, means for driving the inner drum at slow speed, and means for drivingl the outer drum at high speed for centrifugal fluid extraction.

3. In apparatus of the class described, a stationary casing, a pair of spaced reticulated drums therein, one within the other, means for driving either of said drums at will, the inner at low s eed, and the outer at high speed, means orl locking the undriven drum against rotation, means for attaching an edge of the fabric article to be cleaned to the innerdrum, said outer drum having an article admission opening extending lengthwise thereof, and a door adjacent said opening, and having fabric article attaching means on its inner Wall adjacent the edge of the opening.

4. Apparatus of the class described comprising a stationary casin; having a lengthdrum mounte to rotate in said casing and having a lengthwise opening, a Asecond drum mounted to rotate Within said reticulated drum, and having means for clamping the edge of a fabric article thereto, means for selectively 5. rlhe apparatus of claim 4, in which the hinged door of the casing is reversibly pivoted to the casing by pivots oiset from the center line of the door so that when the door is placed with the brush inward the casing opening is completely closed while when the doorl is reversed the brush is withdrawn and a slot left for the insertion of an air nozzle. n

6. Apparatus for cleaning fabric articles, comprising a stationar casing, a rotatable drum therein having fa ric clamping means, said casing having an elongated door opening, a hinged door for'said opening comv prismg a main member hinged to said casing, and an auxiliary member reversibl hinged to said main member, and abrus carried by one face of said auxiliary member.

7. Apparatus for cleaning fabric articles, comprismg a stationary casing, means for admitting liquid thereto and withdrawing it therefrom, alreticulated drum rotatably mounted within the casing and havin fabric holding means, a second -reticulate drum within the casing encirclin'g said first named drum, land having interior fabric holdin means, and means for rotating said outer rum at `high speed for centrifugal moisture extraction.

8,* Apparatus for cleaning fabric articles comprising a main casing, a reticulated drum therein having tubular trunnions projecting from the ends of the casing, bearlngs in which said trunnions are journaled, a second reticulated drum within said first named drum and having trunnions extending through said tubular trunnions, means for independentl driving said trunnions selectively at di erent rates of speed, said inner drum having means :for attaching an edge of a fabric article to its outer periphery, and said outer drum having means for attaching an edge of such a fabric article to its inner periphery.

In testimony whereof I ailix my signature.

CLEWELL E. STATLER. 

